What are friends for?
by Blade of Justice
Summary: As the world around them falls to the horrors of Helheim, the Rainbow Line cannot return to help out the situation in a certain fruity city, it can only go forward. ... Or can it?


It wasn't exactly hard to miss what was happening all around the world. Strange and terrible plants had appeared from seemingly thin air, as if some kind of forest just out of sight was starting to take over the land, and started spreading as far as the eye could see. Terrifying monsters soon followed in their wake, and any who was struck by these monsters soon joined their ranks. The world was slowly becoming united in their fear. Would they make it through this? Was this the end? Was there anything left they could do?

Even on board the train that most people couldn't even see, the train that the plants and monsters had yet to come near, these feelings were just as present... albeit, in this case, for different reasons than one might expect. Oh, some of their numbers were certainly afraid for the same reasons those down on the ground were, but not all of them. Their fears were related to a friend of theirs, a friend they had encountered weeks ago who had been at the center of the battle against this forest and its monsters, before anyone else had even known about it.

As soon as they had heard about what was happening, as soon as they had witnessed the familiar sights of the plants and the monsters having their way with more than just that friend's city, their thoughts had almost instinctively gone out to him.

Recognizing these fears, the Conductor and Ticket made it clear that the Rainbow Line was safe. The imaginary train wasn't even on the forest's radar and it never would be. As long as they stayed on board the train, they would be safe. All they had to do was stay on course, as they had been from the start, and everything would be fine — for them.

Unfortunately, the exact same thing held true for the Shadow Line, which meant one thing:

"No matter what you think or feel, we can't mess around and go back to that city to fight those plant monsters when you have Shadows to deal with! The train will leave without you if you do!"

That had done it.

With just that one little "warning," the situation had gone from tense and fearful to just about everything all at once.

The cabin erupted into chaos.

Wagon declared she was going on strike, but this time it was permanent — how could she work for such cruel people!? Well no more! She quit!

Kagura had burst into open sobs. They had to ignore all of the people who were being hurt by those Inves monsters...? The train would leave without them if they even tried...? It just broke her heart. It was so cruel!

Hikari was angrier than any of those in the cabin had ever seen the young man — so much so that he had to excuse himself for a moment to vent, in fear of upsetting his friends. He didn't want them to see him that way.

Mio, as distressed as she was by the "order," tried to reason with the talking puppet on the Conductor's hand. Unfortunately, as the conversation went on, continuing to prove fruitless, her patience was clearly starting to fail her.

Tokatchi had simply fallen to his knees, his glasses clattering to the ground as he had. Now he was simply staring aimlessly out a window in a state of shock — how could they be expected to just... leave all of those people alone?

And last, but certainly not least, there was Right.

He never thought about things.

He always acted first and asked questions later.

But this time...

He remembered Kouta.

Kouta had known that what was happening now had been a threat from the start. Kouta had probably known he would need all the help he could get.

He turned it down. He chased them away.

They had their own problems — what kind of person, what kind of _friend_ would he be if he took them away from their own journey?

He had been an amazing friend — and as his friend, Right wanted to support him as best he could.

And that's when he got an idea.

"Right... Did Kouta...? Did he...?"

Turning to Kagura, who had finally voiced one of her primary fears to him, Right smiled.

"No way! Everybody, listen up! Kouta's fine — he just hit a bump in the road, that's all! He doesn't need us to go rushing back to him!"

Right's words surprised everyone — Ticket and the Conductor most of all, for sure. Was he actually saying they shouldn't try to help? That was... surprisingly unlike him! Man and puppet exchanged worried glances as ToQGers all looked at their friend in red, concerned.

"Right, what are you saying? We can't just-"

"Yeah! Are you telling me we're going to leave all these people alone!?"

"Right would never say that! Er, right, Right?"

"Right...!"

Right just offered his friends a broad smile.

"He said we couldn't go back to Zawame City. I totally agree. Know why?"

Seven thoroughly confused heads shook their head "no" at Right's question.

"Because I can see it... I can see Kouta fixing this. I know that he's going to do this. I believe in him."

At this point, Right held up a finger.

"But no one said anything about helping people that are on the way, right? If they're already there when we are, what's the problem? Besides, whether it's Inves or Shadows, the darkness people will let out when they're being attacked is still darkness, right?"

That... was a good point. The rest of those in the cabin all exchanged looks. How could they not have thought of that? The Conductor and Ticket in particular suddenly appeared far more worried than they initially had seemed — it was a damning point, in fact. The Shadow Line could already have all the darkness it needs and still be getting more...!

As soon as that realization set in, the panicked puppet was already issuing new commands.

"Ch-Ch-Change of plans! We're making an emergency stop! Every Inves and Shadow and plant and fruit and tree and any other suspicious vegetable on the way to the next station has to go! ToQGers, on the double!"

As the train made its emergency stop, Right found himself grinning despite the dire situation he and his friends would soon be faced with.

That had gone exactly as he had imagined it would. They had gone from not being able to help anyone to being able to help whoever they could just like that.

And now, even if he couldn't help Kouta back in Zawame City, he could at least make it so there was less to worry about outside of it.

As Kouta's friend, it was the least he could do.


End file.
